left hand vrs right hand

[James Kopp]

I know this might sound trival, but is there a need for a left hand shooter to have a left side mounted lock?

 

[wiscoaster]

It sounds like a good idea. You won't get sparks sprayed in your face. But are left-handed locks even made? Was right-handedness vs. left-handedness even a "thing" when these rifles were commonly used? I don't know ....

 

[Mattox Forge]

I know this might sound trival, but is there a need for a left hand shooter to have a left side mounted lock?

I have a flintlock fowler that was made in about 1805 in London by William Smith that is a left handed gun with a right hand lock. It is obvoiusly left handed as it has about 3/8 cast on, and the trigger is offset to the left side of the trigger plate.
I think it's a matter of preference. The lock is the same distance from your face. It is actually further from your shooting eye than a same handed lock would be.

Mike

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

FWIW I have owned and still own a plethora of RH'd arms, even though LH'd, as many styles are just not made as a lefty.

First off - You should wear good eye protection with any arms, never mind BP arms

2nd - All your attention should be on the front sight blade, so you should NEVER see any pan flash anyways ...

Only drawback I can think of is ... that some muskets or rifles have a bit of cast to the butt stock and a true LH'd arm may 'fit' you better, i.e., align better to the sights.

 

[springfield art]

I know this might sound trival, but is there a need for a left hand shooter to have a left side mounted lock?

I grew up using toy guns of all sorts that were made for Righties. Being a Lefty, I adapted. I can shoot either way, and can even work the action of a bolt-action rifle really fast. I'm so used to shooting flint & percussion guns made for righties that it doesn't bother me. (Just wear eye protection at all times!)

 

[cgoff]

I know this might sound trival, but is there a need for a left hand shooter to have a left side mounted lock?

I’m left handed and have both left and right hand locked guns and don’t notice any difference when shooting them as far as the lock goes. The things that bother me is having the cheek piece on the wrong side or the patch box touching my face

 

[BrianL]

A buddy stopped by with a Right handed flinter. The frizzen was not lined up properly? At any rate, I was getting a face full of flash debris while he was getting none at all. He is a leftie.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I know this might sound trival, but is there a need for a left hand shooter to have a left side mounted lock?

Well it's true that for a long time, folks thought left-handed-ness was a problem, and did things to "correct" the condition. In the era of flintlock muskets, as volley fire was the rule, they kept all of the locks to the right side. They expected most if not all soldiers to be right handed.

In your case, remember that SxS fowlers having two barrels would always have a lock that was on the same side as the shooter's face, no matter which shoulder the shooter shouldered the weapon upon. This wasn't a problem for the SxS shooters.

LD

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

I'am right handed and shoot a "lefty bolt gun" right handed.
Wanted to see how it would be to shoot a "lefty" right handed.
Ordered up a Savage left hand Model 12 repeater action. Tracked down an AMBI stock, mounted it up and went shooting. LOVED IT!!
Ordered up a right hand laminated thumbhole benchrest style stock. (think fence post) Plugged the right hand bolt handle cut and re cut it on the left side.
Only difference between the left and right hand Savage actions is the bolt handle cut. (mid 80s 10/110 versions)
First received a "mirror image" with the bolt release lever on the left side?? Found somebody that wanted/needed it more than I did. Sold it and got my $$$ back in just a few days.
Left hand bolt "repeater" action, added a single shot adaptor and a tactical (longer) bolt handle to ease the bolt handle lift, mounted on a Whidden V block. If it was as SMOOTH as my XP 100, I wouldn't have bothered but it's a Savage so, you do what's needed. Rig comes it at around 16 pounds.
Strickly for bench shooting. Right hand stays in the thumbhole for stock control while my free left hand works the bolt and feeds ammo.
My only problem now is shooting my right hand rigs. Not liking taking my right hand off the trigger to work the bolt. The lefty action spoiled me in a very short time.
Percussion BP isn't too bad but, a flint powder/flash in the pan close to your eye on either side??

 

[Magungo1066]

I know this might sound trival, but is there a need for a left hand shooter to have a left side mounted lock?

Absolutely not needed. I am a lefty that shoots only right handed locks. My first gun (that I no longer own) was a lefty and I literally cannot tell the difference. You don't get any sparks in your face. My (righty) brother never noticed anything when shooting my left handed lock.

 

[R Ellis]

Well it's true that for a long time, folks thought left-handed-ness was a problem, and did things to "correct" the condition. In the era of flintlock muskets, as volley fire was the rule, they kept all of the locks to the right side. They expected most if not all soldiers to be right handed.

In your case, remember that SxS fowlers having two barrels would always have a lock that was on the same side as the shooter's face, no matter which shoulder the shooter shouldered the weapon upon. This wasn't a problem for the SxS shooters.

LD

I have double barrel flintlocks and double barrel percussion and do not have any trouble . As already stated keep you focus on the intended target

 

[Keyhole]

“Need”???
I suppose that everything about our hobby is based on buyer’s preference


I’m a lefty…I prefer LH flintlocks but percussion can be either.

 

[Ed C.]

When you grow up shooting lefty you take it all in stride, hammers, sparks, and on the unmentionables, operating bolts and casings flying in front of your face. Just always wear glasses. I do like the cheek piece on some LH models.

 

[Cruzatte]

My rifle is LH, and one of my smooth bores is RH. Only reason my rifle is LH is because I didn't like the idea of the patch box rubbing my cheek, or the cheek piece on the opposite side of the rifle.

The smooth bore is straight, that is no cast off. I really don't have a problem at all shooting that gun.

 

[54ball]

OK, I'm going to shake the bushes some.
It's not the handedness, it's the eye dominance.

 

[54ball]

I know this might sound trival, but is there a need for a left hand shooter to have a left side mounted lock?

I'm lefthanded and left eye dominant. Well....with that said I have always used my left hand since...birth. An exam after my head injury said I'm right handed...Go figure. I do kick a football with my right foot. My niece when she gets tired of writing with one hand, she swaps to the other. For finesse I use my left hand but sometimes, my right hand is better for starting bolts or nuts by feel when working on the old Ford. Shooting, I can shoot right-handed but I must close my left eye.

In short, I'm left-handed but not profoundly left-handed. It's hard for me to understand anyone that's profoundly left or right-handed. IE, being a complete clutz or near nonfunctional with the off hand.

Since I'm left eye dominant, I shoot left-handed, that's my preferred side anyway.
I shoot left-handed but prefer right-handed guns. Shooting right-handed guns left-handed guns is no issue for me. To me left-handed muzzleloaders.....look goofy.

I'm planning a fine longrifle project and it will be left-handed. The reason is cast off. It's no issue for me to shoot off the lock side of a rifle but for a really fine rifle, I want the experiance of the cheek piece and cast off that only a left-handed rifle will provide. .

 

[TexiKan]

The availability of a good, production left-handed gun was not much of an option when I started. I saved my money and ordered a custom made one and the builder kept my funds and never sent the rifle. I then ordered a right-handed Sharon Hawken kit gun. I had been shooting a right-handed Dixie rifle, anyway, so it was not much of problem other than the cheek piece being on the other side. Using the Ted Cash style of cappers was a bit awkward since the one I liked was right-handed and no longer use it. The cap fragments occasionally spray but not that bad. Having seen flintlock flashes, I was reluctant to try a right-handed flintlock. I was lucky to find a good, left-handed one. Left-handed adaptation seems to be our norm.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

A right handed caplock will spray cap bits and gas on to your right wrist if shot left handed. I shot a Parker Hale Enfield in competition, and took to wearing a sock on my wrist to prevent burns. A flintlock shoots gas out to the side, so it does not have the same issue.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Ed C.]

A right handed caplock will spray cap bits and gas on to your right wrist if shot left handed. I shot a Parker Hale Enfield in competition, and took to wearing a sock on my wrist to prevent burns. A flintlock shoots gas out to the side, so it does not have the same issue.

ADK Bigfoot

The good news is, shooting the revolvers left handed, the spent caps and fragments usually roll off to the right. Not onto your hand.

 

[James Kibler]

I’ve come to conclude the biggest reason for left-handed rifles is left-handed pride.